In the Shadow of Christmas
by BlacKTea
Summary: Li Mei Ling has invited Sakura and Tomoyo to the Li Mansion for a Christmas party. Suddenly Sakura is off looking for Santa while Tomoyo finds herself doubting the sanity of those around her. And just who is Mei Ling’s cousin, Xiao Lang.


Li Mei Ling has invited Sakura and Tomoyo to the Li Mansion for a Christmas party. Suddenly Sakura is off looking for Santa while Tomoyo finds herself doubting the sanity of those around her. And just who is Mei Ling's cousin, Xiao Lang.

A/N: Hey. Yay Christmas. Boo me not updating my fics in YEARS. I'm still working on 'To Protect.' I'll probably just finish it and post it all at once. Sorrys. But I hope you enjoy this fic for the holiday season.

* * *

"Meilin-chan your family is really into Christmas, ne?"

Meilin quickly zipped her attention from the ginger bread man she was de-heading to Tomoyo. "Mmmm," she said before swallowing. "I guess. I never really thought about it."

Li Meilin was apart of the Li family. The premiere family of Hong Kong. She'd invited her and her best friend, Sakura Kinomoto, to their annual Christmas party. It was quite a sight. There were wreaths, tinsel and lights hung everywhere. It didn't seem like an inch of the house was undecorated. "I mean it's amazing. Sakura-chan is actually looking for Santa Claus. She said he has to be here. So cute is my dear Sakura-chan." The last sentence was said dreamily and Tomoyo's normally sharp indigo eyes were spaced out.

After completely devouring the cookie in her hand Meilin donned a thoughtful look. "Kinomoto-san still believes in Santa Claus?"

Tomoyo sighed. "Yeah, I don't know who keeps giving her presents from 'Santa' on Christmas, but, yeah, she still believes. She told me she would still believe even if she stopped getting presents. Damn her Onii-chan. I suspect he is the one that has kept her in the dark so long. It doesn't help she's so gullible. However it DOES make her so ka-wai-i!"

Meilin snorted. "Daidouji-san, you are never going to change."

Tomoyo smiled unapologetically. "And neither will Sakura-chan. I should probably go and try find her before she finds disappointment."

Tomoyo turned to disappear through the crowd of merry makers around them when Meilin stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "Wait a second, Daidouji-san, there is no harm in letting her look. Maybe she'll find him. The Christmas Eve has a way of answering the heart's wishes."

Tomoyo eyed the enigmatic smile on her friend's face. "Well, I suppose. What do you suggest we do then?"

"Well my aunt has been wanting to meet you."

* * *

"Amazing," Sakura murmured as she wondered down another hallway full Christmas lights. The smell of pine and sweets wafted from the party going on in a distant part of the house. Everywhere she looked there was Christmas.

"It's just lights and a really rather exuberant amount of tinsel."

Sakura spun around a spotted a man who appeared to be her age. Thanks to all the lights she could easy make out his strong jaw and brown hair. His sharp amber eyes glinted. "But it's Christmas!" she informed him happily.

He shrugged. "What are you doing here? The party is downstairs."

Sakura flushed with unwilling embarrassment . "I-I'm looking for Santa Clause-san." She quickly braced herself for ridicule. Everyone she met said 26 was too old to believe in Santa Claus, but she didn't care. She knew in her heart he was real. However the man didn't laugh.

He raised his eyebrow. "Really? Why?"

" Because I want to meet him. Clause-san is the most wonderful person in the whole wide world. Who wouldn't want to meet him?"

It was then the man did laugh. It was like a bucket of water to the face since before he wasn't even smiling. Tears prickled at the corner of her eyes. She hated when people made fun of her belief in Santa. For a moment she thought this man was different.

She turned to leave, but his voice stopped her. "Wait! I'm not laughing at you. I-I was just thinking that if Santa were to hear that he would be the one looking for you."

She faced him again to find him no longer laughing. His expression was once again neutral, but she could see the smile tugging at the corners of his lips and twinkling in his eyes. "You really don't think it's stupid?"

He shook his head. "No. In fact I'll help you find him."

"Thank you! Do you have idea where to start?"

"I have a few ideas," he said before he took her hand steered her towards a staircase she hadn't seen located at the opposite end of the hallway.

* * *

"Hello, Li-san. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"You must be Daidouji Tomoyo," the Li matriarch said warmly. "Mei Ling has said many things about you. Thanks for making her study abroad in Japan so enjoyable."

"It was no problem. Besides I had help from my best friend Kinomoto-"

"-Sakura," Li finished smartly. "I've heard about her as well. I was hoping to meet her too. Where is she?"

"Looking for Santa Claus," Meilin interjected promptly before she could think a more adult-type activity. She loved her Sakura-chan dearly, but she was aware that sometimes her actions could be viewed as a little immature.

However Li just chuckled. "Is she? I hope she finds him. Maybe he would like that. He gets so busy at this time a year. I think he forgets to have fun."  
Tomoyo just nodded numbly. It almost seemed like she knew Santa Claus.

Meilin snorted beside her. "Aunt Ye Lan. He doesn't know, and never did know, how to have fun. Sometimes I wonder what Uncle Reed was thinking."

"Sorry, but what are you two talking about?"

The shared a secretive look. "I think, Daidouji-san, you will find out sooner rather than later," Li eventually said.

* * *

"Beautiful," Sakura breathed out in wonder. He'd taken her to a small clearing in the wooded area behind the house. The clearing wasn't overtly Christmas-y, but all the trees surrounding it were pine and the stars shined brighter than any light could ever hope to.

"Hn," the man beside her affirmed, but when she realized he was looking at her she blushed.

"So why did you think Clause-san would be here?"

"He likes this clearing. When he wants to think or maybe just be alone, he comes here."

Sakura's eyes widened. "You know Clause-san."

"Yeah. He's…my friend."

Her mouth fell open in a silent 'oh.'

He fidgeted nervously. "It's not that big of a deal."

"What's he like?"

"Oh you know. Normal type guy. Likes watching soccer on TV. Not a bad chef. Makes a whole hell of a lot of toys. Breaks into millions of homes one night a year."

Sakura laughed. "Is he happy?"

Strangely the man almost seemed to jump at her query. "Why do you ask that?"

"Well, sometimes I think it must be lonely up at the North Pole."

He snorted. "It's actually kind of crowded. He has a large family. There are his mom and sisters. And cousins. One cousin in particular."

"Wow. He has a big family."

"Yeah. When they're not pestering him he's busy making his lists and checking them. Oh, and making toys."

"Do you think he's too busy to-"

"Oh, don't worry. He's not too busy to meet you."

* * *

"Daidouji-san I see some of my cousins over there. I must introduce you to them."

"Alright, Meilin-chan, but then I think I will go find Sakura. It's been quite a while."

"Sure, sure," Melin said clearly unworried. "Hey! This is my friend Daidouji Tomoyo-san."

The four brunette women turned as one and let out loud squeals. "She's so cute!"

Meilin muttered something under her breath. "Come on guys. You're in your thirties. Please, please, act like adults."

There was a little more excited chatter, but then one asked, "Is she one of you friends from Japan? I thought there were two. Where's the other one?"

And just like before Meilin quickly informed them that Sakura was out looking for Santa.

Their collective 'that's so cute' was deafening and a little scary.

Meilin quickly pulled her to a safer corner of the room. "Sorry about that."

"Why did react that way?"

"Well, all you have to do is mention Xiao Lang really."

"Syaoran?"

"Their younger brother."

* * *

"So is he really fat?"

The man smiled. "Nope. He takes his physical health seriously."

"Eh! He has the long white beard?"

He shook his head. "He's our age. He has brown hair, no beard."

"Really? So like you!"

"Yep. Just like me."

"Hmmm. Does he have reindeer?"

"That's a common misconception. He teleports."

"Hoe!"

In the distance a bell sounded as the clock struck nine. "Forgive me I have to go. If you come back out here at three this morning he will be waiting for you."  
"But where are you going? I don't even know your name!"

The man smiled slightly. "Don't be silly Sakura. You've known me all along"

And with that he disappeared into the only slightly chilly nighttime air.

* * *

"Meilin-chan, I really should find Sakura-chan. I haven't seen her for hours," Tomoyo said firmly. "Besides I think your entire family knows she was looking for Santa Clause now."

Meilin shrugged. "Okay Daidouji-san, but you won't have to look long. She's coming this way and she looks even more genki than ever."

Tomoyo spun around and immediately spotted a bursting with happiness Sakura. "Sakura-chan, you seem happy."

"Tomoyo-chan! I found Claus-san!"

"Now Sakura-chan-"

"He's not old or fat. He actually rather handsome," the excited girl imparted on a blush.

"Well-"

"He took me outside and then-"

"Sakura-chan! You just met this guy!" Tomoyo was horrified. Some guy claiming to be Santa Claus had-had… To her dear, dear Sakura-chan.

"Tomoyo-chan, what are you talking about?"

Tomoyo blinked. It was seeming like she may have jumped to conclusions. "Er, um, were you going to say?"

"Just that we went to this clearing and talked while looking at the stars."

"Oh."

"Xiao Lang wouldn't do that anyway Daidouji-san. He's actually rather shy," Meilin informed her with a smirk.

"I don't want to talk about your cousin right now Meilin-chan. What I want to know who this 'Santa Claus' was." Honestly she didn't want to hear anymore about this cousin that had been mysteriously absent the whole time.

"I'm afraid you don't understand. My son is Santa Claus."

Tomoyo looked at the Li matriarch in patent shock. They must be joking. "You aren't serious."

"Don't be silly Tomoyo-chan. Of course they're being serious. Christmas isn't something to joke about."

* * *

Many hours later, after most of the cookies were consumed and the lights were way down low. And the house was asleep and Christmas arrived.

One person still stirred in the newly born day.

Waiting for a Santa Claus with neither reindeer nor sleigh.

For she too had a gift to the (grudgingly) jolly, (not-so) old man.

But what she gave him is a secret between them (and zealous best friend, mother, four sisters, a cousin and digital cam).

Kawaii=cute  
Genki=is like in good spirits and health


End file.
